Natal Witness Jun 17 2003 1:46AM GMT
DURBAN - An elderly athlete from Japan was mugged and had his shoes stolen during the Comrades Marathon on Monday.
Hideo Numasaki, a 72-year-old clerk from Tokyo, said he was near Drummond when he was accosted by two men.
"It was quite a lonely spot and these two men came down from the hills," said Numasaki.
"They grabbed me, pinned me to the ground and took my brand-new running shoes."